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The absence of Superintendent Peter Olson-Skog due to illness and a limited agenda made for a short school board meeting on Monday night at district offices. The board reviewed proposed changes to the academic calendar, adjusting the school board’s meeting schedule, and progress on the superintendent’s goals.
Academic Calendar
Cari Jo Drewitz, director of curriculum, instruction, and assessment, provided a review of the academic calendar for the 2026-2027 school year.
- Finalizing the calendar took a little longer than usual this year due to uncertainties about scheduling teacher professional development programs.
- This calendar will have three fewer classroom days than in past years in order to fit in all of the required teacher training, with many of the training days also falling on religious holidays, which is convenient for many families.
- This will mean 166 days in school for the majority of students, one more than the minimum required by state law. Generally, extra days serve as a buffer in the event of snow days, so this calendar gives the district less wiggle room than in the past.
- The proposed calendar will include one two-day week for students, and there are some concerns about reduced student attendance during that week. District data suggests that attendance on two-day weeks in the past has been around 80%, compared to 90% in a normal week.
- Drewitz also acknowledged that setting the district calendar so late creates some scheduling headaches for families, but a lack of prompt direction from the state led to the delay.
- The board will vote to finalize the calendar at the next meeting.
School Board Schedule
- Assistant Superintendent Peter Mau stepped in for the absent Olson-Skog to introduce a proposal to adjust the school board meeting calendar.
- He recommends moving school board meetings to the second and fourth Monday of the month, as opposed to the first and third Monday as is currently the case. This would make the schedule much more consistent, as many holidays fall on or close to first and third Mondays.
- Board Member Byron Schwab recommended the district check with state laws before making any changes.
- There was some discussion about making this a permanent policy change rather than a one-year schedule adjustment.
- The board will vote on this change at the next meeting.
Superintendent’s Goals
- Mau also provided an update on the superintendent’s goals for the year, with a focus on improving the district’s finances and long-term viability.
- Olson-Skog has been meeting with individual school leaders to identify ways to keep costs low going forward.
- He has also been spending much of his time connecting with district teachers and staff to learn more about who they are, what they value, and how he can help them. He’s completed more than 50 interviews this school year, which puts him on track to meet his goal of having one-on-one meetings with every staff member in the district within four years.
Assistant Superintendent Mau also filled in for Olson-Skog at a recent “Coffee with the Superintendent” listening session, drawing a larger than normal group as he fielded many questions and concerns about ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) activity.
Engage
- More: Agendas and minutes for ISD 197 School Board meetings are available online.
- Watch: Student School Board Representatives Evangeline Fuentes and Rhys Walsh gave a recap of the meeting.
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